Some enterprises provide thin client terminal services at a central server (or group of servers) to allow remote client terminals to access applications, data, and other software deployed at the central server(s). Terminal services allow an administrator to install, configure, and manage applications and user environments centrally on one or a few central servers. Deploying applications and user environments on a single central server (or group of servers) is usually much easier to implement than deploying applications and user environments on hundreds or even thousands of desktop or portable machines at different sites across an enterprise. As a result, cost savings can be achieved due to reduced information technology (IT) support costs.
A further feature of providing terminal services at one or a group of central servers is that resource requirements (e.g., processing and/or storage requirements) for client terminals are reduced. As a result, thin clients can be used, where a thin client refers to a user terminal or station that depends on a central server for processing activities. Therefore, the enterprise can save money by using older client terminals that may otherwise be obsolete.
To access a terminal service, a user at a client terminal usually has to submit the user's logon identity and password, such that resources can be allocated for establishing a terminal services session. In some conventional systems, after allocation of the logon identity and password, the user may again be prompted for logon credentials when the client terminal attempts to establish a connection to the allocated resources.
The double credential prompt is usually irritating for users and adds to delay in establishing a terminal services session.